The invention relates to a lathe, in particular, a multiple-spindle lathe, comprising at least one workpiece spindle which is arranged on a machine frame and rotatable about a spindle axis and which projects with its front end into an operating area, and a tool slide with a longitudinal slide element guided for displacement in Z-direction parallel to the spindle axis in a longitudinal guide means located outside the operating area and arranged on a slide stand of the machine frame and with a cross slide which is arranged in the operating area and displaceable in X-direction transversely to the spindle axis in relation to the longitudinal slide element and which is guided on a cross slide guide means arranged at a front end of the longitudinal slide element and movable by means of a cross feed gear.
A lathe of this type is known, for example, from EP-A-0 433 722. With this lathe, the cross feed motor is, however, arranged on the cross slide guide means and thus in the operating area. Such a solution has the disadvantage that it requires considerable constructional space and thus creates problems when, where possible, several tool slides are intended to be usable on one workpiece spindle.